Meet the Exquisite Quill Authors

Saturday, July 5, 2014

Author Interview: Stacy Juba

EQ Welcomes Stacy Juba

EQ: Welcome to EQ!
Tell us a little bit about yourself!

Stacy: I’ve been
writing stories since elementary school and had my first book published when I
was a teenager. Later, I worked as a journalist and a publicist for several
years. Being an author was a lifelong goal and I’m excited to be able to share
my books with readers. I’ve published adult mystery/romantic suspense novels,
young adult books, and children’s picture books. I’m currently finishing up my
first sweet romance/romantic comedy. All of my books feature characters at a
crossroads, or fork in the road, which is why I have branded my website as
Characters at a Crossroads.

EQ:Tell us a little
bit about your most recent release.

Stacy: Sink or Swim
is about Cassidy Novak, a former reality show contestant who attracts a stalker
after returning to her normal life as a personal trainer. She's also being
shadowed by Zach Gallagher, a good-looking photographer who is assigned to follow
her around for a newspaper series. She wants to trust Zach, but he may be
hiding something. It’s a blend of cozy mystery and romantic suspense and has a
cast of quirky supporting characters. It’s available in e-book formats and is
also an audiobook for Audible. The narrator, Funda Duval, does a fantastic job
with the voices! It’s like listening to a movie without the visuals.

EQ: What has been
the most exquisite moment of your life?

Stacy: That would
have to be holding my babies for the first time. Those first precious moments
with my children are almost surreal when I look back at them. It's such a
powerful moment when you bring a new life into the world and you fully realize
how dependant this small being is on you.

EQ: Describe how you
came up with the plot of your novel.

Stacy: I was
fascinated by the reality TV show craze and with how these ordinary people were
becoming famous. If a TV sitcom or drama gets cancelled, often the actor will
turn up in another show down the line, but some of these reality show
contestants are just in one season of a show and that’s it. Then they go back
to their lives and jobs. I wanted to explore what might happen if an obsessed
fan couldn’t get his or her fix anymore of a favorite contestant. I didn’t want
the entire book to take place during the taping of a reality show, however,
because there are some readers who don’t like reality TV. I wanted the book to
be a cozy mystery, set in a small town after the show ends. The show is just the catalyst that sets the
plot in motion.

EQ: What kinds of
female characters do you prefer to write?

Stacy: I like to
write about strong female characters with a vulnerable side that they hide from
others. I also want my characters to be flawed. They make mistakes and can be
impulsive at times, but they have good hearts and are loyal to their friends
and family.My female protagonists
experience significant growth by the end of the book. Cassidy from Sink or Swim needs to trust others, take
chances, and find a balance between work and her relationships; Kris Langley
from Twenty-Five Years Ago Today
must find the compassion to forgive herself, release the past, and embark on a
new life; and the teenage Dawn from my YA thriller Dark Before Dawn needs to learn that what others think of
her isn’t as important as what she thinks of herself.

3 comments:

Stacy, I think your newest book sounds like the perfect read. More of a cozy than an edge of the seat thriller. It's going into Kindle! :-) Thanks for the great interview and letting us see a little more of what you write.

Sink or Swim sounds really interesting, Stacy. The premise of the after-show life of a reality show contestant is brilliant. I'm not into watching reality shows but the people in them fascinate me. Thanks for being here today.